Equalizing mechanism.



F. MUELLER. EQUALIZING HEUHANISM. AIPLIOATIOH rum) 1A1. 14, 1905.

Patented Oct. 20, 1908.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

F. MUELLER. EQUALIZING MECHANISM. APPLICATION FILED JAN. 14, 1905.

Patented Oct. 20, 1 908.

2 BEEET8SHEBT 2.

isms to operate upon where it is varying in length UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

FELIX MUELLER, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNORTO STANDARD STOPPER COMPANY, OF.

NEW YORK, N. Y., A CORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY."

ncwnuzm'o mcmmx.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. 20, 1908.

Application filed January 14, 1906. Serial No. 241,136.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FELIX MUELLER, a subject of the German Emperor, residing at New York, county of-New York, and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Equalizing Mechanisms, fully described and represented in the following specification and the ac-' forming a part of 'ment, the pressure can of course be regulated by regulating the driving mechanism so long as the articles located between the pressure heads are constant in length. When, however, it is desired to'cause said mechanarticles differing in length, it is necessary of course either to provide a mechanism by which the pressure is relieved, or to in some way adjust the action of the driving mechanism. Where, however, the machine is to operate rapidly upon articles varying or which may vary in length, it is not feasible to stop'the machine in order to adjust the driving mechanism, and devices of various kinds have been resorted to for relieving the pressure produced thereby. A common device for this purpose consists in employing a spring located behind either the, pressure head or the abutment, or both, which, after a given degree of pressure has been applied, yields, thus permitting the driving mechanism to continue its stroke without damage to the article or mechanism. The force produced by a spring,

the increase of tension. For this,v reason, while such devices can beused satisfactorily in certain classes of machines, they are not adapted for use in connection with machines desired to produce substantially equal amounts of pressure upon articles without adjusting the driving mechanism.

In certain styles of presses, suc stance,-as presses for operating upon glass in molds and in'the kinds of presses known as ore stamps, it has been customary to employ fluid containing cylinders provided with relief valves which are operated when presses where caps however, increases rapidly with for ini the pressure developed rises to a certain degree. These devices have also been used in capping machines of a type similar to or heads are to be applied to receptacles of varying length. The use also of spring controlled tripping devices has been suggested in connection with this latter class of machines, these tripping devices operating to relieve the force of the spring after the pressure developed has risen to a certain predetermined degree. These devices, however, are more or less complicated and consequently are expensive to construct, and the spring controlled tripping devices have the further objection that they act to entirely relieve the ressure when they are brought into operation, instead of maintaining it throughout the operation of the driving mechanism as it is frequently desirable to do.

The present invention hasfor its object to produce an improved mechanism for effecting equalized pressures on articles varying in length, the articles being located between pressure heads or a pressure head and abutment, either or both of which may be movable, and in which the operation of the pressure controlling devices depends upon a weight.

WVith this and other objects not specifically stated in view, the invention consists in certain constructions and in certain parts, improvements and combinations as will be hereinafter described and pointed out.

Referring -to the accompanying drawingsFigure 1 represents in side elevation, partly in section, one form of machine embodying the invention, and Fig. 2 represents a front elevation of the machine illustrated in Fig. 1.

The concrete embodiment of the invention. which-has been selected for the purposes of illustratiomconsists of a machine for capping receptacles, but it is to be understood that the invention is capable of use in many other relations. selected to illustrate the invention, the operative parts of the machine are supported in a frame 1 which may be varied in its configuration, according to the character of the machine in which the invention is embodied. A machine embodying the invention will include a pair of ressure heads, or a ressure head and an a utment, either or 0th of which may be movable. In the. particular In the particular machine between the driver construction shown, one of the pressure heads includes a table or support 2 which is carried-in an arm or bracket 3 forming a part of the machine frame, said table or support having a stem 4 which enters the frame and being provided with a suitable receptacle supporting device 5. pressure head, in the specific machine in which the invention is embodied, includes a head 6 which applies thecap. This cap applying head, when the invention is embodied m a capping machine, may be of any desired construction. As illustrated, this ead operates not only to force the cap down upon the bottle, but also to bend the flange of the cap beneath the shoulder which surrounds the mouth of the bottle. The bending devices may be ofany suitable character, a die being indicated at 7. The head may be mounted so as to receive movement in any desired manner. As illustrated, the frame is provided with a tubular bearing 8 which is suitabl supported on the frame, and the stem 9 o the head slides in this bearing as the head is reciprocated.

The driving mechanism which operates the head, or heads, when both heads are movable, may be varied widely in construction, and will vary according to the type of machine in which the invention is embodied. In the construction shown, the driver consists of a shaft 10 and, while the connections and the head may be of any suitable character, in the construction shown, this shaft 10 is provided with two cranks 11 to each of which is secured a connecting rod 12. These connecting rods 12 are secured to a cross bar 13 which passes through the stem 9 of the head 6.

The pressure controlling mechanism depends on the action of a weight or its equivalent. While the means by which the weight, or its equivalent, controls the pressure to be exerted by the heads upon articles operatedfupon in the machine may be varied within wide limits, in the particular construction shown it is such as'to permit therelative position of the heads and driver to be changed when a predetermined degree of pressure has been exerted on the artlcle, the relative position of the heads with respect to each other remaining unchanged. The specific means by which this is accomplished may be of any suitable character. In the particular construction shown, the driver which, as has been before pointed out, consists of the shaft 10, is mounted in a movable carrier, being controlled by the weight. While the particular construction of the carrier may also be varied, in the construction selected for illustration, the carrier consists of a drum, the heads 14 of this drum being provided with suitable bearings 15 in which the shaft 10 is mounted. The drum heads 14 'inthe frame,

The cooperating the movement of this carrier "force developed by the weight.

are carried on a shaft 16 suitably sup orted the drum heads being irther connected 'by a cross rod 17, as usual in such constructions.

The weight employed may be variously arranged. In the particular construction shown, it consists of a plurality of bars 18, these bars being connected to strips 19. These strips are flexibly connected to the drums 14, as, for instance, by chains 20. The chains and weights are so arrangedas to hold the carrier in such position to enable the pressure heads to operate properly on a bottle or other receptacle of the shortest length. In the particular construction shown, a stop is provided which determines this position of the carrier, Wh1l e this stop may be of any suitable character, in the constructionshowmit comprises a pair of arms 21, these arms being provided with bearings 22 which receive the shaft 10 between them when the carrier occupies the position referred to. These arms are or may be supported in anysuitable manner, as, for instance, they may be attached to a cross bar 23 suitably connected to the frame of the machine.

The means for effecting the operation of the driver may be widely varied. As shown, the driver is provided with a gear 24 which meshes with a gear 25, said gear being loose on the shaft 16 and being rigidly connected to any suitable driving means, as, for instance, a pulley 26. I

lVith the construction as described, if the shortest article onwhich the machine is designed to operate, be placed between the pressure-heads and the shaft 10 be rotated, the head 6 will be reciprocated, the operations designed to be carried out by the machine being effectedwithout bringing into action the power equalizing mechanism. If, however, a longer article is located between the heads, it will happen that after pressure sufiicient to overcome the inertia of the weight has been exerted upon the article between the heads, the drum 14 will .be

caused to move, thus lifting the weight.

This movement of the drum will continue until the cranks have passed the center,- after which the carrier will move forward until the stops 21 come into action which will be at the time the weight has resumed its normal position. It will be seenthat by this construction whether the article be longer or shorter, the force exerted upon it by the pressure heads willnever exceed the Furthermore, inasmuch as the driving gear 24 is mounted upon the "same center as the drum, the movement of the drum can take place without disturbing the driving relation between the gears 25 and 24. The mechanism is adapted for machines in which very rapid operations are to be carried out and the ing the weigh ates the movable head to produce ressure ammo a pressure to be developed on articles of varyshaft, connections whereby the shaft actuing length can be calculated with extreme ates the movable head to produce pi essiue on nicety. an article .between the heads, and weight controlled means'for change its when a predetermined degree of pressure has been exerted on the article, the relative position of the heads with respect to each other remaining unchanged.

6. The combination with a pair of pressure heads constructed to receive articles of varying length between them, of a driver, connections whereby the driver causes the heads to exert pressure on said articles, which the driver is mounted, a weight for holding the carrier in position, and suitable connections between the "weight and carrier whereby after the heads have exerted a predetermined pressure on the articles, the carrier and driver are moved away from the heads against the force of the weight.

7. The combination with a pair of pressure heads varying length between them one of said heads bein movable,.of a driving shaft, connections w ereby the shaft actuates the movable head, a carrier in which the shaft is mounted, a weight, and suitableconnections for holding the carrier in position, whereby when a force is exerted on the articles between the heads which tends to become greater than the force exerted by the weight, the carrier will move, whereby the heads are prevented from exerting more than a predetlermined degree of pressure upon the artic e. l

8. The comb' ation with a pair of pressure heads, one of which is movable, said heads being arranged to receive articles of varying length between them, of a driving shaft, a carrier mounted to oscillate in which the shaft is t iunted, means including a weight and suitable connections for maintaining the carrier in position, and operating connections between the shaft and the movable head.

9. The combination with a pair While theparticular construction shown permitting the shaft to is especially adaptedv for successfully carrying out the invention it is. to be understood that the invention may be embodied in constructions which difier widely therefrom, and the invention is not, therefore, to be limited to. the specific construction shown hat is claimed is 1.. The combination with a pair of pressure heads only one of which is movable, said heads being arranged to receive articles of varying length between them, of driving means for causing the heads to exert pressure on said articles, a weight, and means whereby after a predetermined amount of pressure is exerted by the heads on the article, any further force developed by the driving mechanism will be expended in rais- 2. The combination with a pair of pressure heads only one of which is movable, said heads being arranged to receive articles of varying length between them, of a driver, rigid connections wherebythe driver actuon an article between the heads, an welght. controlled means for permitting the relative position of the heads and driver to change when a predetermined degree of pressure has been exerted on the article, the relative position of the heads with respect to each other remaining unchanged.

3. The co bination with a pair of pressure heads, one of which is movable, said heads being arranged to receive articles of varying length between them, a driver, rigid connections whereby the driver actuates the movable head to produce pressure on an article. between the heads, and weight controlled means for permitting the driver to change its relative position with respect to the heads when a predetermined degree 0 pressure has been exerted onthe article by of pressure the heads. heads arranged to receive articles of varying 4. The combination with a pair of preslength between them, one of said heads being sure heads only one of which is movable, movable, of a driving shaft,operat1ng conftand the movable shaft is mountnections between the sha said heads being arranged to receive articles head, a carrier 1n which the of varying length between them, driving shaft, connections whereby the shaft aced, said carrier being supported so as to tuates the movable head to produce ressure oscillate about a center, a stop for positionon an article between the heads, an weight ing the carrier so that the heads may operate controlled means for permitting the relative position of the heads and shaft to change when a predetermined degree of pressure has been exerted on the article, the relative position of heads with respect to each other remaining unchanged.

5; The combination with a pair of pressure heads, one of'which is movable, said heads being arranged to receive articles of varying length between them, of a driving upon the shortest article, and a weight for holding the carrier against the stop.

10. The combination with a pair of pressure heads arranged to receive articles of varying length between them, of a driving shaft, operating connections whereby the shaft causes the heads to exert pressure on an article between them, a drum in which the shaft is mounted, a stop for positioning the drum so that the heads will operate upon arranged to receive articles of a carrier in the shortest article, and-a weight connected to the drum for holding it against thestop.

11. I'll 5 varying len sha acenter in which saidshaft-1s to receive pair of presarticles of of a driving t, a carrier supported to oscillate about 7 era ting connections whereby the shaft causes that the heads will "15 article, and a weight 1n operative relationwith said In a capping ma with a pair of operates to su pressure heads, pport the recep operate on or holding the carrier the shortest sto chine, the combination one of which tacle and the other of which applies the cap thereto, means between (1 to oscillate the carrier, operatin connections between the shaft and one of the heads, a weight, and suitable connections for holdin the carrier in position where the heads wifi operate upon the shortest. receptacle, and means for driving the shaft.

In testimon whereof, I have hereunto set my hand, in t e presence of two subscribing witnesses.

FELIX MUELLER, Witnesses:

J. A. GRAVES, A. WHITE.

center,'a driving shaft mounted in suitable 

